The Ending Decision
by dragonlover131313
Summary: Shepard stood at the precipice at everything they worked for and had one last choice.  Spoilers obviously on the ending of ME3, how it should have ended.


This is based on the ending that some people at the bioware forum came up with, I liked it a lot so I decided to write it out. You can find the discussion here, .?user=1183972&poll_id=29101, hopefully it shows up. I wish they would change the ending and I don't own anything.

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><p>It had all come down to this moment Shepard thought mildly. The small child holographic that was catalyst looked up at her, waiting for her to decide the fate of the galaxy. She had three apparent choices, control the reapers, combine organic and synthetic life, or kill the reaper and all technology associated with it.<p>

Looking out at the three walkways with their distinct glow of lights Shepard knew none were the way. Despite her traumatic injuries that would have had any mere mortal shivering in a fetal position on the ground, she stood tall and defiant and met the Catalysts gaze for the last time.

"I choose none." Her voice was steady and cold fire danced in her eyes.

"You doom them all then, organics and synthetics can never be-"

-Paragon Interrupt-

"That's bullshit and you know it!" She stepped forward wanted to jab a finger into the things chest. "Just look at the Geth and Quarians and your supposed theory falls through. Hell, I even got the damn Turians and Krogan working together and you still tell me this shit. Just take your damned reapers and leave us!"

The thing had no response and simply stared up at her with the eyes that had haunted her dreams for the entirety of her journey. Tearing her gaze away she walked slowly over to the railing and gripped it hard to keep her balance.

The battle raged on across the inky abyss that surrounded her. It was an amazing feat that all the races had come together for this and Shepard couldn't help but cling to the hope that they could still win without this supposed almighty weapon.

"You know you can still save them if you would only choose." The Catalyst was behind her as it said these excruciating words. "Do you really want it to end this way?"

Her knuckles turned white from her grip as she refused to turn around at face it. "I want it to end the right way. We never needed your involvement and yet you say we do. Let us decide our own destiny."

More explosions echoed overhead as the fleets pressed onward at the Reapers for the end they thought Shepard would bring. They were fighting so hard but for what, every decision would leave with the Mass Relays exploding and after she what had happened in the Batarian space it would be decimating.

The Catalyst began to talk again and the voice it used changed.

"Was my sacrifice for nothing Shepard?" Ashelys demanding voice asked.

"Can you not finish what I was trying so hard to do?" Andersons somber voice questioned.

"Will you not give me the peace I so desperately need Jane?" Garrus' distinct voice pleaded.

Many more were shoved down her throat as she hung onto the rail trying to remember why she was defying the devil. She was doing it for all of them could they not see. She had prepared the galaxy the best way she knew how and now her job was done. All the races, Salarians, Krogan, Asari, Turians, Volus, Elcor, Hanar, and Humans had to do this now if they wanted it to end.

She was just a soldier.

-EMS requirement achieved, over 6000

The Catalyst went quiet as the unthinkable began to happen, the Reapers began to retreat.

Shepard slipped down to her knees but still gripped the railing as her neck craned up to the heavens to watch the events unfold.

The graceful ships flew overhead firing their weapons at the Reapers who fired back occasionally but the end result was the same. They were back pedaling as more and more of them succumbed to the injuries of the war they had been waging for so long.

Shepard smiled and closed her eyes as she basked in the embrace of the lights the explosion rained down on her.

"You have merely doomed them, there is a reason the Reapers exist." The boys voice said, still behind her.

"At least its own doom and not the one you would have forced on us." Shepard responded sardonically as the blood loss began to take its toll. She looked up one last time at the battle before her frame toppled over as her hands rested over her major wound trying to still the blood loss.

Commander Shepard, born a spacer, survivor of akuze, valiant spectre, and hero of the citadel lay on the ground breathing slowly as the remaining Reapers disappeared into dark space.

On the ground of Earth the soldiers cheered as they watched the Reapers take off into the sky grasping at one another in celebration.

The Quarians on their fleets muttered prayers of thanks and mourning for the dead as the Geth remained silent for the lost.

The Turians stood proud at their posts defiant even then.

The Krogans cheered shaking their guns in their air as they yelled battle cries.

The Salarians grinned as even then they planned new strategies to what could happen next.

The Asari thanked the goddess and as their fathomless eyes watched the fleeing ships retreat knowing that they may just reach their matriarch stage.

Aboard the Normandy Joker whooped with joy and grasped EDIs hand unable to comprehend the extent of what just happened but feeling hope for the first time in a long while.

-Some time later, EMS requirement Achieved, over 7000.

"Look closely for survivors! Spread out People." The Asari barked as they walked through the ruins that was once the base of all galactic enterprise, the citadel. The corpses were littered everywhere and were all races but mostly human. The keepers walked through them as if blind to all the carnage that lay under their tiny feet.

One human broke off the rest and walked up the stairs into the platform that held Anderson. He yelled for the others to come and help but stopped short when he saw a lone figure on the ground before the console. His breath caught in his throat when he saw the chest expand and fall in rhythm, slowly and shallowly.

"Holy hell its Shepard!"

Fades out.

Shepard knew she had to die, knew it all along really but at least it had been on her terms. She had accepted her fate the second she realized her choice and even though the pain of knowing all the people she was leaving behind ripped into her heart she stood tall and went forward anyway.

It really wasn't that bad being dead anyways, it wasn't like she didn't have practice in it.

The light before her grew steadily as she reached out for it knowing that whatever it held she would look for a bar and a certain Turian.

Slowly the light engulfed her and she closed her eyes as a sudden weight engulfed her once weightless form. Pain came forth and dryness attacked her throat as she blearily reopened her eyes to find the light she had seen was fluorescent. Not really realizing what she was seeing she closed her eyes again and swallowed trying to rid herself of the tackiness in her throat.

When reopened her eyes she realized there was a pressure in her right hand. Curious and light headed she groggily turned her head only to find what little breath that in her lungs leave it.

There on her bed sleeping was the one and only Garrus Vakarian.

Trying to stop the tears that threatened to spill over she gripped the hand hard and thought that maybe, just maybe, everything would be alright.


End file.
